It's amazing how the visually impaired manage to accomplish their feats. Though they cannot see, most blind people have other over-compensating senses, and usually an over-zealous aspiration for success.
But still, how are they able to run an Internet radio station? Caribbean Culture Vibes (CCV) streams live music online. Run solely by a group of blind citizens, the station already has a few hundred listeners and is growing swiftly. Put together by a few music lovers who simply needed something to do with their time, CCV radio is truly a marvel. Programme director and one of the DJs for CCVradio.com, Marlon "DJ Alex" Alexander explained to the T&T Guardian how they manage to air their Internet radio casts.
How is it done?
Software is a huge part of their radio station. They have no use for a mouse, which is used for visual interface. Using only a keyboard and some helpful programs like JAWS (Job Access With Speech), these "challenged" people don't seem challenged at all. The JAWS program actually simulates speech. They use it to do advertisements and announcements during their casts. JAWS is only one of the liberating software programs that brings light to the dark world of a blind person. On CCV radio they also use programs such as Station Playlist and Sam Incoders. Since it is an online station, none of the 11 members are ever in the same room when broadcasting. How then do they communicate music and DJ schedules? They use Skype, a free audio and video-calling, social network. So, in the privacy of their homes, in front of their PCs, these people are at their own personal command centre.
Plans for the future
Caribbean Culture Vibes is a patriotic station, and plays only Caribbean music 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The rotation includes soca, calypso, reggae and music that is produced in the Caribbean or by people from the islands. DJ Alex said the station would soon be extending to include other handicapped individuals.
Who funds it?
Comprising of just volunteers, funding is difficult for the non-profit organisation. Alexander said CCV radio is open to donations to keep the Caribbean music flowing. He said paying for their server, equipment and software came out of their own pockets, adding that only a few of the members were employed elsewhere. Anyone interested in helping to keep the Caribbean Culture Vibes flowing can visit the web page ccvradio.com and click on the donation link.